My 5-Step Natural Glowing Skin Care Routine

Travel is rough on the skin and I am living in six different cities this fall, from Jaipur to London to Berlin. I’ve found myself breaking out more than usual, partly because on the road it’s harder for me to completely stay away from my triggers (gluten and dairy) but also because so many changes and flights create a lot of stress for the body’s largest organ.

Luckily, I had lunch recently with my friend the incredible London-based singer and artist Alexis Mercedes, whose skin literally glows from a mile a way. She hooked me up with her regimen. I’ve already used it a few times and I’m obsessed.

Step One:

Cleanse twice daily with a mix of 65% organic coconut oil, 30% organic castor oil and 5% avocado oil with 5 drops of essential oil of frankincense. Massage the mixture into the face for a full 2 minutes and then wipe off with a warm wet towel, letting the towel sit on the skin for 30 seconds or so to open the pores.

Note if your skin is dry, go easy on the castor oil as it is very drying to the skin.

Step Two:

Exfoliate with a mixture of organic wild flower honey and brown sugar – be gentle or skip this step if you have sensitive skin. Wash off with a warm towel.

Step Three:

Spray the face with rose water toner. It smells amazing and is cooling and anti-inflammatory

Step Four:

Hydrate your skin with your favorite natural moisturizer. I like mixing three drops of Sunshine Botanicals’ Essential Fatty Acid formula with 2-3 squirts of their Essential Hydrating Fluid. Their products were designed by the wife of a master herbalist. Everything is 100% non-toxic and formulated to heal the skin.

Since chatting with Alexis I have been adding 2 drops of frankincense essential oil to my moisturizer combo too!

Step Five:

This one is my tip! Stay hydrated with a lot of room temperature water with fresh lemon juice squeezed in every day.

About Robin

I am a functional medicine doctor practicing in New York City. This means that I not only diagnose and treat disease, I look at the whole person, listen to my patients’ stories, and work to find the root cause of their symptoms.